2 February 2021
This year has been a year of healing for me. Most people know that I have been not well for a few years. With the people who are around me, I am open with what I have been going through but publicly I have not blasted the information.
This has been for a few reasons:
1. I just didn’t feel well enough to do it.
2. All my energy has been put into “how do I get better” (so much research has been going on).
3. I just didn’t know enough to educate others if questions arose.
I’m changing, the world is changing, and my relationships are changing, so it is time. I will do a series of blogs to highlight the issues I have been facing. I hope it helps others understand what I have been going through…it is not a quick conversation because the issues that myself and so many others are facing are not a quick “I have a cold” explanation. It is much more complex and very individualized per person. There are so many topics to discuss so it will take some time…from physical health, emotional health, nutrition/diet, mold toxicity, SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth), environmental toxins, detox and the pathways for detox, self-care, and supplements.
I have always taken my health extremely seriously (I even have my bachelor’s degree in health). I will admit… I like to have control of situations. I always believed that if I followed preventative measures set forth by the medical community and maintained an optimal weight through good nutrition and exercise, I was in control. Although these are great practices, I was giving myself a false sense of security. I have been slowly declining for years (yes, I saw doctors... there will be another blog post about that). But my excuse was always “it’s just aging”. I am very attuned with my body. I have known that things were just not right.
Looking back my issues probably began in my 20’s with female issues. I won’t go into depth in this post about my symptoms, but I was having a lot of abdominal pain. I would be in the doctor’s office and ER all the time. I was always told there was nothing wrong other than “you have a cyst on your ovaries but that’s normal”. Young, having small children, and living in another country (England for 10 years and the Azores for 2 years), I was scared, tired, and very complacent with the doctors. I mean if the doctor is saying nothing is wrong…then in my eyes they are right “nothing is wrong”. Boy this could not have been further from the truth. One doctor even said, “I think you are just depressed”. I didn’t feel depressed but being in pain for three years and no one believing me was frustrating! Finally, I got the referral I needed to a gynecologist who believed me and ordered a laparoscopy. BAM - wouldn’t you know I had endometriosis. A diagnosis I did not want but at least I had a reason for the pain, and it wasn’t in my head like they suggested. I could go on for days or even write a book with the snarky comments I have heard from doctors but that will be another blog post.
After treatment for endometriosis, I was lucky enough to have another baby. Thank God I didn’t go with their recommendation to have a hysterectomy. Looking back at this time, I realized it was the beginning of my gut troubles. It has taken me the past few years to piece together the cumulative account of why I ended up with the way I am now.
1. Antibiotics - In the past 25 years, I probably have had over 15 courses of antibiotics.
2. Stress – Everyday stress I went through to major anxiety over my health due to several scary episodes (more in another post), coming out of the adoption fog (another post), and finding my biological family (another post).
3. Nutrition – Many people have commented to me that they cannot believe I could have the gut issues I have because I ate such a “healthy diet”. Let me tell you, if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone. Just living in our country and the foods we purchase (from “healthy” to your standard Western diet) is a main contributor. Hidden sugars, fats, and toxins are in so many of our foods.
4. Mold toxicity – I am one of the 25% of the population that does not detox mold appropriately. Being in a moldy environment and consuming foods that may contain mycotoxins led to my downfall. (more to come but remember detoxing your body is important.)
5. Medication - unneeded medication can also disrupt gut health. Those antacid tablets to over the counter pain meds can wreak havoc on our systems.
So, you ask… what is wrong with you? How did all this lead up to you not feeling well? How did a year of pajamas save you? Two and a half years ago, I became the sickest I have ever been in my life. I thought I was very close to death. It ruined what should have been some of the happiest moments of my life, like my daughter’s wedding for example. Literally, I do not remember much about the day. Long story short – I have SIBO, mold toxicity, histamine intolerance, and serotonin syndrome. This all led to symptoms of silent reflux, brain fog, severe weight loss, gluten and diary intolerance, food sensitivities, and my own personal natural supplement pharmacy. I kid you not, it looks like an apothecary in here.
My goal is not to have you feel bad for me, but for me to have an outlet to explain my story. I want to educate others, offer resources, and hopefully get others to understand the importance of knowing your body, what foods you are eating, what products you are using in your environment, selfcare, being an advocate for yourself and your loved ones in regards to your medical care, food sources and nutrition. I am not a health care provider. I have just done my own research (remember I am a librarian LOL). Believe me, there are many doctors out there that do not know about much of what I am going to tell you in these posts. You can ask my husband…many doctors have the “deer in the headlights” look when we have conversations that need to be had. I was very fortunate to find a functional medicine doctor when I did…. I truly believe she saved my life. The year I wore pajamas (AKA COVID quarantine) has allowed me the time to focus on me. I work from home now and with no commute, I have been able to really help myself heal. Self-reflection, learning to say no, running, yoga, along with my strict diet and long list of supplements I am taking (more to come on this) has truly been a blessing. I hope I can help others who want to learn, struggling, or need some guidance.
Live Healthy. Be Happy.
Jen
I look forward to reading more.